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to have a room…mate who had attained。 If Billy had not been so
dog…tired last night； he would have sat up and made John tell him
everything from beginning to end。
〃Soft…shell crabs； broiled live lobster； salmon； grass…plover；
dough…birds； and rum omelette；〃 he was now reciting to Bertie。
〃They say the rum there is old Jamaica brought in slave…ships；〃 said
Bertie； reverently。
〃I've heard he has white port of 1820；〃 said Billy； 〃and claret and
champagne。〃
Bertie looked out of the window。 〃This is the finest day there's been；〃
said he。 Then he looked at his watch。 It was twenty…five minutes
before Oscar。 Then he looked Billy hard in the eye。 〃Have you any
sand？〃 he inquired。
It was a challenge to Billy's manhood。 〃Sand！〃 he yelled； sitting up。
Both of them in an instant had left the table and bounded out of the
house。 〃I'll meet you at Pike's；〃 said Billy to Bertie。 〃Make him give
us the black gelding。〃
〃Might as well bring our notes along；〃 Bertie called after his rushing
friend； 〃and get John to tell you the road。〃
To see their haste； as the two fled in opposite directions upon their
errands； you would have supposed them under some crying call of
obligation； or else to be escaping from justice。
Twenty minutes later they were seated behind the black gelding and bound
on their journey in search of the bird…in…Hand。 Their notes in
Philosophy 4 were stowed under the buggy…seat。
〃Did Oscar see you？〃 Bertie inquired。
〃Not he；〃 cried Billy； joyously。
〃Oscar will wonder；〃 said Bertie； and he gave the black gelding a
triumphant touch with the whip。
You see； it was Oscar that had made them run go； or； rather； it was Duty
and Fate walking in Oscar's displeasing likeness。 Nothing easier；
nothing more reasonable； than to see the tutor and tell him they should
not need him to…day。 But that would have spoiled everything。 They did
not know it； but deep in their childlike hearts was a delicious sense
that in thus unaccountably disappearing they had won a great game； had
got away ahead of Duty and Fate。 After all it did bear some resemblance
to an escape from justice。 。
Could he have known this； Oscar would have felt more superior than ever。
Punctually at the hour agreed； ten o'clock he rapped at Billy's door and
stood waiting； his leather wallet of notes nipped safe between elbow and
ribs。 Then he knocked again。 Then he tried the door； and as it was
open； he walked deferentially into the sitting room。 Sonorous snores
came from one of the bedrooms。 Oscar peered in and saw John； but he saw
no Billy in the other bed。 Then； always deferential； he sat down in the
sitting room and watched a couple of prettily striped coats hanging in a
half…open closet。
At that moment the black gelding was flirtatiously crossing the
drawbridge over the Charles on the Allston Road。 The gelding knew the
clank of those suspending chains and the slight unsteadiness of the
meeting halves of the bridge as well as it knew oats。 But it could not
enjoy its own entirely premeditated surprise quite so much as Bertie and
Billy were enjoying their entirely unpremeditated flight from Oscar。 The
wind rippled on the water； down at the boat…house Smith was helping some
one embark in a single scull； they saw the green meadows toward
Brighton； their foreheads felt cool and unvexed； and each new minute had
the savor of fresh forbidden fruit。
〃How do we go？〃 said Bertie。
〃I forgot I had a bet with John until I had waked him；〃 said Billy。 〃He
bet me five last night I couldn't find it； and I took him。 Of course；
after that I had no right to ask him anything； and he thought I was
funny。 He said I couldn't find out if the landlady's hair was her own。
I went him another five on that。〃
〃How do you say we ought to go？〃 said Bertie； presently。
〃Quincy； I'm sure。〃
They were now crossing the Albany tracks at Allston。 〃We're going to
get there；〃 said Bertie； and he turned the black gelding toward
Brookline and Jamaica Plain。
The enchanting day surrounded them。 The suburban houses； even the
suburban street…cars； seemed part of one great universal plan of
enjoyment。 Pleasantness so radiated from the boys' faces and from their
general appearance of clean white flannel trousers and soft clean shirts
of pink and blue that a driver on a passing car leaned to look after
them with a smile and a butcher hailed them with loud brotherhood from
his cart。 They turned a corner； and from a long way off came the sight
of the tower of Memorial Hall。 Plain above all intervening tenements
and foliage it rose。 Over there beneath its shadow were examinations
and Oscar。 It caught Billy's roving eye； and he nudged Bertie； pointing
silently to it。 〃Ha； ha！〃 sang Bertie。 And beneath his light whip the
gelding sprang forward into its stride。
The clocks of Massachusetts struck eleven。 Oscar rose doubtfully from
his chair in Billy's study。 Again he looked into Billy's bedroom and at
the empty bed。 Then he went for a moment and watched the still forcibly
sleeping John。 He turned his eyes this way and that； and after standing
for a while moved quietly back to his chair and sat down with the
leather wallet of notes on his lap； his knees together； and his
unblocked shoes touching。 In due time the clocks of Massachusetts
struck noon。
In a meadow where a brown amber stream ran； lay Bertie and Billy on the
grass。 Their summer coats were off； their belts loosened。 They watched
with eyes half closed the long water…weeds moving gently as the current
waved and twined them。 The black gelding； brought along a farm road and
through a gate； waited at its ease in the field beside a stone wall。 Now
and then it stretched and cropped a young leaf from a vine that grew
over the wall； and now and then the want wind brought down the fruit
blossoms all over the meadow。 They fell from the tree where Bertie and
Billy lay； and the boys brushed them from their faces。 Not very far
away was Blue Hill； softly shining； and crows high up in the air came
from it occasionally across here。
By one o'clock a change had come in Billy's room。 Oscar during that
hour had opened his satchel of philosophy upon his lap and read his
notes attentively。 Being almost word perfect in many parts of them； he
now spent his unexpected leisure in acquiring accurately the language of
still further paragraphs。〃 The sharp line of demarcation which
Descartes drew between consciousness and the material world；〃 whispered
Oscar with satisfaction； and knew that if Descartes were on the
examination paper he could start with this and go on for nearly twenty
lines before he would have to use any words of his own。 As he
memorized； the chambermaid； who had come to do the bedrooms three times
already and had gone away again； now returned and no longer restrained
her indignation。 〃Get up Mr。 Blake！ 〃 she vociferated to the sleeping
John； 〃you ought to be ashamed！〃 And she shook the bedstead。 Thus John
had come to rise and discover Oscar。 The patient tutor explained
himself as John listened in his pyjamas。
〃Why； I'm sorry；〃 said he； 〃but I don't believe they'll get back very
soon。〃
〃They have gone away？〃 asked Oscar； sharply。
〃Ahyes；〃 returned the reticent John。 〃An unexpected matter of
importance。〃
〃But； my dear sir； those gentlemen know nothing！ Philosophy 4 is
tomorrow； and they know nothing。〃
〃They'll have to stand it； then；〃 said John； with a grin。
〃And my time。 I am waiting here。 I am engaged to teach them。 I have
been waiting here since ten。 They engaged me all day and this evening。
〃I don't believe there's the slightest use in your waiting now； you
know。 They'll probably let you know when they come back。〃
〃Probably！ But they have engaged my time。 The girl knows I was here
ready at ten。 I call you to witness that you found me waiting； ready at
any time。〃
John in his pyjamas stared at Oscar。 〃Why； of course they'll pay you
the whole thing；〃 said he； coldly； 〃stay here if you prefer。〃 And he
went into the bathroom and closed the door。
The tutor stood awhile； holding his notes and turning his little eyes
this way and that。 His young days had been dedicated to getting the
better of his neighbor； because otherwise his neighbor would get the
better of him。 Oscar had never suspected the existence of boys like
John and Bertie and Billy。 He stood holding his notes； and then；
buckling them up once more； he left the room with evidently reluctant
steps。 It was at this time that the clocks struck one。
In their field among the soft new grass sat Bertie and Billy some ten
yards apart； each with his back against an apple tree。 Each had his
notes and took his turn at questioning the other。 Thus the names of the
Greek philosophers with their dates and doctrines were shout